ABEL M. PEREZ
Executive Director
Wichita Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Inc.

Abel M. Perez is the Wichita Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's first Executive Director effective August 1, 2007. Most recently he has distinguished himself having been elected and served as the 2007 Chairman of the Wichita Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Most notably Kansas Governor, Kathleen Sebelius appointed Mr. Perez to serve as a Kansas State Commissioner on the Kansas Hispanic and Latino American Affairs Commission.

These appointments evolved out of a successful career in governmental service and the private sector in Texas, Kansas City and Wichita. Immediately before assuming the role of Executive Director for WHCC, he was a Public Service Executive with the State of Kansas, Department of Commerce where his primary responsibilities were to market workforce services provided at the various state centers to businesses. His comprehensive background also includes positions as consultant, counseling, human resources, interpreter/translator, and safety.

Throughout his career he has received recognition and special awards for his exemplary leadership as former Kansas Governor Mike Hayden selected him as Kansas Employee of the year (1989,) while the Kansas Senior Employment Program recognized him as Employer of the Year (1991.) Lastly, Intrust Bank recognized his contributions to the community as through the First Citizen’s Award (1993.)

In 2002 he co-founded MESA Redonda, a collaborative of twenty-five Hispanic organizations and agencies throughout the Wichita/South-Central Kansas Region whose focus was to complement and coordinate the development of services and quality of life issues in the Hispanic Community.

Abel M. Perez’s civic leadership has included positions including serving on the Boards of Directors for the Senior Service Employment Program, Kansas Elks Center for the Handicapped, Kansas Rehabilitation Services Projects and Industries, Kansas School for Effective Learning, Society of Human Resource Management, Sedgwick County Work Release Advisory Committee, Wichita Indo-Chinese Center, Mid-Tow Resource Center and the American Red Cross